WARNING

PLACEHOLDER: There are winter driving conditions in the South Island from now until the end of September. Road users should take extra care while travelling, as ice can make the road more hazardous especially in shaded areas and on bridge decks. If you are travelling on the Lindis Pass, Arthurs Pass, Porters Pass, Lewis Pass, Haast Pass, Milford Road or Rahu Saddle, it is recommended that you carry chains as these roads are prone to snow and ice throughout this time.

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Distracted Drivers

Crash

Hey, upto bro?

Not much ae, just driving home lol

Mean, you should come by ours later tonight, we're having a few bevvies. 🍻🍻🍻 Invited that girl you like!

Ae? jeasSDVzsdfc

What? lol

You good bro?

Between 2013 and 2018 there have been 4 deaths, 20 serious injury and 61 minor injury crashes in South Canterbury Alone.

Most common distractions inside a vehicle

Cell phone (texting, having a conversation or even using the hands free kit)

Smoking (lighting a cigarette or putting it out. Many times cigarettes are dropped then the driver fumbles around to pick it up in a hurry)

Radio/CD/MP3 portable TV etc. (changing stations, CD etc.)

GPS (Driver tries to program it whilst driving)

Loud music

Eating or drinking (not even talking about alcoholic drinks)

Passengers (could be children or adults causing the driver to lose focus on his or her driving)

Pets or insects

Nowadays driving has become a bigger challenge because of the increased number of vehicles and other road users. When you drive at 50km/h you move at 13.88 metres per second. That is about 3 car lengths.

Should something happen in front of you, like the vehicle in front of you suddenly stops, and you have taken your eyes off the road for just a second, you would have moved forward blindly by 13.88 metres.

In most cases the vehicles parked on the side of the road are only about 1,5 to 2 metres away from moving traffic, You only need to look away for a split second to veer off to the left to crash into a parked vehicle.

At 100km/h you move at 27,77 m/s - about eight car lengths! Again when you take your eyes off the road and you veer to the left or right it only takes about a tenth of a second to go off the road or hit an oncoming vehicle head on. At that speed you will most probably be killed.

How to avoid the risk?

Pull over safely and deal with whatever you have to. Is it really worth the risk to try to save a few seconds when your or someone else's life/safety may be at stake?